


Three Minutes in Hell

by Kendrickhier



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Human AU, Lucy Lane mention, Maxwell Lord Being an Asshole, Minor Original Character(s), Prosthesis, Speed Dating, supercat implied
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-21 05:37:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17037662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kendrickhier/pseuds/Kendrickhier
Summary: Super Santa Femslash 2018aka the beginning of foreverAlex meets Astra at a speed dating event, and while they are both skeptical, things work out pretty well! Also Max is being annoying and things may or may not be thrown at him.





	Three Minutes in Hell

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Uniquely_Kaydt](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Uniquely_Kaydt/gifts).



> Merry Christmas to those who celebrate, and happy secret santa day to everyone else! I hope y'all enjoy this (especially Uniquely_Kaydt, I hope you had a good time creating for your secret santa too ;P)
> 
> Disclaimer: Nothing of this is personal experience, it's purely based on research, so if this is wildly inaccurate or unrealistic, do let me know!

Alex isn’t sure why she agreed to join this speed dating event. Kara was supposed to be the one going, before a ‘work emergency’ called her away, which Alex is starting to grow more than a little suspicious of; her sister even  _lied_  about being reluctant to have to get to CatCo. Either way. As a result, she and Lucy had talked her into substituting. The hostess seemed friendly enough, instructing them to take a seat, any seat, and then explaining how this was going to work.

The thing about this event is that it is purposefully mixed, not just the ladies staying seated and the guys moving around, or vice versa, but rather a complete random order. Guys meet guys too, ladies meet ladies, and non-binary people didn’t have to misgender themselves to participate.

“If you are seated on this side of the table,” the hostess says as she points to her left, “you remain seated during the transitions, the others move over a table. You have three minutes with each person, so try to make the most of your time, alright? Anyone have any questions?” She looks around the room, paying attention to everyone until she’s satisfied. “Good, then let’s get started!”

The bell chimed, and the guy across from Alex promptly introduces himself while extending his hand to her, as if they’re not all wearing a name tag. Strike one. “Richard.”

“Alex,” she responds just as simply, shaking his hand firmly and immediately put off by the sweatiness of his. She hopes. She really doesn’t want to try to imagine what else it could be. Strike two.

“Alex, isn’t that like a dude’s name?”

Strike three. Perhaps there’s something to speed dating after all; she already knows she won’t like him, and already lost her patience on being gentle with this guy. “Richard, isn’t that like  _Dick_?” she shoots back with a glare.

Richard backs down, his currently retracting hand raising in defense.

For a moment Alex dares to think the remaining two and a half minutes will go by smoothly, that somehow he’d gotten the impression she doesn’t like him and doesn’t wish to engage. He was clearly aware of her hostility, so the logical conclusion is that he should tread lightly now, surely he’d realize that much.

Sadly, she is wrong.

He spends the remaining time trying to convince her he isn’t that bad if she got to know him better, that he’s caring and gets along with kids, has a dog he loves to death, but Alex has long since stopped listening and just lets him drone on, only giving the occasional bored nod or noncommittal hum. She barely remembered to put his name down for the sole purpose of checking the ‘no’ next to it.

Let’s set one thing straight: Alex is not here for the men. Sure, she’ll give them a chance for a conversation, but she is not interested in anything beyond a potential friendship out of that. Even that is a stretch, considering what types of men most of these events draw.

The women however, they have a much better shot at success. She may arrived here reluctantly, and certainly isn’t looking for love in a place like this, but that doesn’t mean she’ll be  _completely_  closed off.

Point in case: the woman next to Dick.

Her gaze has wandered towards her several times during the conversation, watching as she – Helen, according to her name tag – was in a very similar position to Alex, facing a similarly obnoxious dude. A guy Alex would become very familiar with as the night progresses; he would be next to her all night.

But back to Helen, someone she is particularly excited to meet when the bell chimes. Helen doesn’t look any less relieved to be facing her, and it’s altogether a very promising start.

Unfortunately, their conversation is stilted at best.

It’s the same kind of introduction as before, what they do, what their hobbies are, things they love, favorite taste in music, etcetera etcetera. No matter how promising, no matter how attractive this Helen is, or how intelligent she is implied to be based on her occupation, Alex can’t bring herself to truly care. Under different circumstances, maybe, but not here and now; truth of the matter is that she is bored.

The following conversations are no different, and it’s tiresome enough that even when there’s someone interesting Alex finds her mind wandering.

More accurately, she finds the guy next to her – Max, she’s come to learn – is rather… outspoken. That  _could_  be a good thing, however that which he chooses to be outspoken about is his very-obnoxiously-inflated ego. He drones on and on about his business, about his money, about his hobbies, leaving no room for the other person to speak.

Noticeably the men get more chances to speak than the women, but even there it’s like he hardly acknowledges what was said.

It’s impossible not to listen to even when it’s the same thing over and over again, and Alex is aware that it’s rude not to pay attention to your own conversational partner, but it’s unavoidable. It’s like watching a disaster unfold, and while the disaster that is Max isn’t interesting whatsoever, there is a certain enjoyment in observing the people that are forced to listen to his spiel.

Some are interested in him, enraptured by what he’s monologue-ing about, or at the very least making a good effort to fake interest. (She notices most of them check the ‘no’ box on their sheets, anyway.)

Others are more blatantly sharing her opinion of him, displaying their distaste in the hopes Max will notice.

He doesn’t.

Time and time again he does not notice, and it’s not until they’re near the end of the event that someone finally snaps at him.

Alex, at the time, is paying more attention to her own conversational partner out of courtesy, already having noticed the brunette woman with Max right now is anything but interested. She knows how this will play out, or at least thinks she does; she’ll keep giving him futile hints that are supposed to make him back off, he won’t take the hint, and the bell will chime, saving her sanity.

But that isn’t what happens.

Instead there is an angry snarl coming from said woman, which is the only preamble for what happens next. Alex manages to look at them just in time to see a blunt object hit Max square in the jaw, with quite some force too.

Max is silent, gaping at her in his shock, holding his jaw when the bell chimes just in time. Still in disbelief, he makes his way to the last table, wisely choosing not to respond any further.

Alex, in the meantime, has noticed the object that was thrown was a prosthetic leg, one for below the knee. She scoops it up on her way to Astra, amused, and passes it to her. “Thanks. I’ve been wanting to do that all night.”

The woman is, understandably, skeptical after having faced Max, especially after the countless prior conversations that have been less than engaging. She raises an eyebrow. “You’ve been wanting to throw your leg at him too?”

“Kick him in the head,” Alex clarifies as she sits down across from her, smirking. “I’ve had to listen to him brag all evening, this is the first thing that’s managed to shut him up.”

The answer appears to relax the woman – Astra, she reads on the name tag – enough to make her stop clutching her leg and eye Alex warily, in favor of reattaching it to her socket. “Be glad you haven’t needed to converse with him, he does not know how to take a hint.”

Alex snorts; that’s been made very evident. It wouldn’t surprise her if he’d have continued his advances if she’d thrown a drink rather than her leg; she suspects the disability is the real thing that had chased him off, rather than the clear rejection. “I’m not sure you can call it a conversation when he’s the only one talking. I mean, did you get a word in at all?”

“Point taken.” A soft humming noise comes from below the table, one Alex recognizes to be from a vacuum pump, and Astra shifts a little before she continues. “Though I suppose it’s an effective speed dating approach. I’ve learned enough about him to know I’d rather avoid him in the future.”

“And he’s learned you’re not receptive,” Alex agrees. Her brows knit together for a moment then, and she glances at this Maxwell who already appears deep in his semi-monologue. For having been assaulted just moments ago, he doesn’t look all that fazed. “I hope. At least he won’t get your contact info, right?”

A scoff, “Absolutely not. If his precursors didn’t get a ‘yes’, he surely won’t either.”

“Picky, hm?”

Muscles tense, and she snaps. “What, you don’t think I should be? That I should try to date anyone that would take me because I’m disabled?” That tentative openness is gone in an instant, like she’s been expecting the other shoe to drop, and this is it.

Except it’s not, and Alex takes no offense.

“Oh hell no, I was just thinking of how we’ve got that in common.” Alex raises her sheet, showcasing her list of names, all followed by a mark in the ‘no’ box. “It’s all just so repetitive and insincere, I don’t know how people find actual partners at these events.”

As Astra looks over the list her shoulders lose their tension, and then she relaxes completely in her chair, like she’s decided this is a person she can trust (to a degree). “Well…” She glances at her name tag. “Alex. Have you ever actually met a couple that has met at such an event and remained together?”

“Point taken,” Alex grins as she shoots back Astra’s earlier words. “My sister claims it’s just for fun. She’s made some decent enough friends, I suppose. My friend Lucy’s mostly just gotten one-nighters out of this.”

“Lucy?” Her eyebrows raise, and she nods at the nearby brunette. “That Lucy?”

“That’s the one.”

Astra hums. “Somehow that doesn’t surprise me. It’s almost a shame we didn’t click, too much resemblance to my dead twin-sister.”

The woman’s bright eyes shift to focus on Alex, gauging her, as if she’s playing a game of chess with her rather than trying to get to know her, except it’s not chess, it’s a game Alex isn’t familiar with. Perhaps one she isn’t  _supposed_  to be familiar with. So she decides to not think on it too much.

“Lucy’s loss. If that’s what gave me a shot, I’m not about to complain.” There’s a grin of her face;  Astra is way exceeding her expectations for the night. Granted, her expectations were set on ‘uneventful at best’ so that’s not very telling, but she really does appeal to Alex. There’s something about her that makes her stand out from the crowd, beyond her leg, beyond the white streak in her hair. It’s the way she holds herself, most of all, that draws Alex in, that makes her heart hope for this working out in her favor. “Unless you’re trying to scare me away, of course.”

“No, not at all,” Astra jumps in immediately, surprising both of them. As soon as she catches onto her own eagerness she quickly stomps it back down; she’s clearly more involved than anticipated. It takes a few moments before she composes herself and manages to explain, “I simply prefer to test the waters before taking a dive, so to speak.”

Alex nods, and there’s a brief but thoughtful silence that follows. Astra is looking at her with some degree of expectation, waiting for her to pick the conversation back up. To answer an unasked question.

When that takes too long, Astra prompts, “So what about you?”

“What  _about_  me?” She knows, she’s very aware of what Astra is asking, but she’s stalling, more out of habit than anything else.

“Any potential deal-breakers on your end? Things that have sent people running?”

And there it is, no excuses to avoid this question any longer. Alex doesn’t want to mess this up, she genuinely has taken a liking to this woman and the idea of chasing her away is really not an appealing one. But on the other hand she’s sure that refusing to answer the question will chase her away too, or at least make her less receptive, and damnit, the appeal of speed dating is supposed to be that you don’t care about the people you meet yet, but here she is, caring anyway.

If this goes anywhere though, that feeling would only increase; it’s better to throw it all on the table now, like ripping off a band aid.

She takes a big sip of her wine and then starts, not looking at Astra as she speaks, quickly. “I drink when I need to deal with shit I can’t deal with. If I can’t drink I run instead. I have a bad temper, like explosive and physical kind of bad. I know I need to work on it, but I can’t deal with it, so…” Alex takes a deep breath then, finger sliding across the rim of her glass as she releases the air. “That’s me.”

Every millisecond of silence feels like an entire minute, and after a few beats she finally braves a look, only to find her… well, with some facial expression Alex can’t identify, but it’s not the face of someone who’s about to run. It’s a pretty loaded look, though.

The chiming of the bell interrupts the moment, signaling the end of both their time and the event altogether. It visibly shakes both of them, and Alex sighs internally; she probably did ruin her chances, ending on that note.

The hostess immediately launches in her post-event speech, reminding them what to do with their sheets and how a mutual ‘yes’ will result in further possible contact, etcetera, and that there will be time to converse while they wait for the information to be processed. It really doesn’t matter to Alex, the only person she would have given that ‘yes’ probably wants nothing to do with her now—

“Wanna get out of here? My apartment is just a few blocks from here.”

Astra’s voice shakes her out of her thoughts, and her startled look clearly amuses the woman.

“Was that too forward of me?”

“I—No, I just…” shaking her head, Alex restarts her sentence. “You’re okay with all of that, of me?”

A shoulder lifts in sort of a half-shrug. “I know a thing or two about anger issues and running from problems. I actually left the continent for several years due to similar reasons, so I understand.”

“The continent, really?”

“Would’ve left the planet if I could have.” It sounds almost dismissive, but there’s a heavy undertone that Astra can’t hide, no matter how hard she tries to.

Alex catches onto it, and decides quickly that this is not the time to push the subject; clearly Astra isn’t all that comfortable sharing such vulnerabilities either, contrary to the idea the mention of a dead twin had given off. So instead she returns to the original point; whether or not she wants to get out of here.

Together.

To Astra’s apartment.

The sheer amount of possibilities has her stomach in all kinds of pleasant knots, and rightfully so. It’s the beginning of a night that will be filled with getting to know each other in ways that aren’t exclusive to talking. It’s the beginning of something that will change their lives in a major way, and while Alex has no idea of the relationship that’s ahead of them, she’s eager to take a step in that direction.

“Okay, yeah, let’s go.”


End file.
